


a first

by injunoir



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Sick Character, donghyuck doesnt believe him, mark gets sick, rest of dream make bets, some kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21779383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injunoir/pseuds/injunoir
Summary: Mark is a no-show and Donghyuck gets worried.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 126
Collections: DreamXmas 2019





	a first

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nonamebut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonamebut/gifts).



> Hello! I would like to thank admins xie and robin for being wonderful and hosting the fic exchange! This was my first time participating in a fic exchanged so i'm still quite nervous hehe.
> 
> Raina! I hope you like this fic! Of the three prompts you sent, I felt this one would be fun to write and I hope you enjoy what I did with it. Though, I realized this was my first time writing a sick character so hopefully I didn't do too bad ;-;
> 
> Please enjoy ! ^__^

Donghyuck has known Mark for many years. They were trainees together, they debuted together twice, and they were best friends.

Donghyuck had learned to like the many things that made Mark Mark. And in return, Mark did the same.

During empathy promotions, Donghyuck decided enough was enough and confessed. He strode right into Mark’s room, overflowing with confidence, and confessed his feelings. But the ‘overflowing’ confidence he had slowly deflated when Mark kept quiet and only stared.

Donghyuck will admit he felt a pang of hurt, but it didn’t last lost. Mark had gotten up from his bed, walked up to Donghyuck, and hugged him. He replied to his confession with his own. They’d been dating for a year and a half now, and Donghyuck was happy.

Among the many things Donghyuck loved about Mark, there was one thing he was jealous of. Mark seemed to never get sick. In all the years he’d known him, Mark Lee never fell sick. It didn’t seem to affect him when he took care of dream when they fell ill. Even when Donghyuck would be extra clingy and ask for kisses; Mark never got sick.

Donghyuck frowns as his eyes travel to the wall clock. 7:45. He looks back at the five boys who were quietly watching the dance video. Mark was late, Donghyuck thinks, Mark is never late. Donghyuck doesn’t understand, and he can tell the others don’t either.

Just about an hour ago, Mark had woken them all up for practice. He even prepared a bag filled with waters and protein bars for them.

 _“I’ll meet you guys there,”_ Mark had told them as they were leaving, _“I have to use the bathroom really quick.”_

That was at 6:15. Donghyuck glances at the clock again; 7:50, and no Mark.

“Hyuck,” he turns to the five boys who now stared at him, “where’s Mark?”

Donghyuck purses his lips, shifting in his spot on the floor, “I don’t know.”

Before Renjun can reply, the door opens and in walks their dance instructor. The six boys instantly scrambled to stand, quickly bowing and greeting the man. He does the same until his smile falters slightly, looking at each of them with confusion overtaking his features.

“Where’s Mark?” he asks, “There are no 127 schedules today…”

He looks at Donghyuck for answers who in return bites his lip, glancing at the wall clock again. 7:53.

“I can go look for him,” he says, “he woke us up this morning but never came.”

“That’s very...not Mark of him to do,” the instructor frowns, “but yes, go ahead and check on him.”

Donghyuck doesn’t wait any longer before bowing and rushing out of the room. He lightly tilts his head forward when he passes his superiors or staff but doesn’t stop to talk. He can’t help but let worry overwhelm him as he nears their dorm.

He practically slams the door open when he finally reaches the dorm, eyes wide and frantic. The dorm is quiet— _too_ quiet.

“Mark?” he calls out.

He listens but hears no sound. He quietly shuts the door, slowly walking around their dorm, brows creased.

“Mark?” he says, louder this time.

He heard shuffling to his right and his head immediately snaps in its direction. Mark's room. He cautiously walks closer, slowly opening the door and poking his head in.

“Mark?”

His eyes widen when he sees the slump on Mark’s bed, a messy head peeking out of the covers.

“Mark,” he whispers, “what's wrong?”

He hears a quiet sniffle as he nears the lump on the bed. Once he's beside the bed, the covers slowly lower to reveal Mark’s droopy eyes. His eyes shine bright with the soft light that peers through the curtains.

“ **I think I'm sick** ,” Mark mumbles, and it makes Donghyuck frown.

“What?”

Mark realizes he slurred his words in English, making it hard for Donghyuck to comprehend.

“I'm sick,” he says again, this time in Korean.

Donghyuck frowns, eyes narrowing at the boy.

“You're lying. You've never been sick in all the years I've known you. You're Mark fricking Lee! You don't get sick,” he says, tilting his head to the side.

Mark rolls his eyes, “It's not like I’m going to be immune for the rest of my life. I'm sick - Mark Lee or not.”

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner? Everyone’s worried,” Donghyuck sits on the bed.

“I didn’t want that, actually,” Mark coughs, “I just had to use the bathroom really quick but then I puked.”

Donghyuck scrunches his nose, “I did smell something gross when I passed the bathroom.”

Mark sniffles, “Sorry, I tried to clean up as much as I could.”

“The fact that you bothered is enough,” Donghyuck teases.

“You’re being nicer because I’m sick,” Mark chuckles.

“Nah,” Donghyuck stands up, “I’m gonna make you something to eat.”

Mark’s eyes widen, “Don’t you dare Lee Donghyuck! You aren’t allowed in there for a reason!”

Donghyuck is already cackling as he nears the kitchen before Mark can even finish his sentence. He unlocks his phone, opening safari, and searches for anything to make Mark feel better. After a few minutes, he finds something.

He hums, “Seems easy enough.”

“Please don’t destroy our kitchen or kill me with whatever you’re making,” Mark’s voice startles him.

Donghyuck jumps, almost dropping his phone in surprise. He turns around and finds Mark wrapped up in his blanket, hood over his head, and sitting on the barstool.

“I won’t. Hopefully, at least,” Donghyuck adds.

Mark coughs, “I am begging, don't kill me.”

Donghyuck raises a brow, faint smirk on his lips, “Then beg.”

Mark rolls his eyes at his words and Donghyuck turns around to get out the ingredients.

"Oh, could you message the guys and tell them?" Donghyuck turns around, his eyes widen slightly and mouth curls into a soft smile.

Mark had fallen asleep on the chair, head lolling to the side. Donghyuck lets out a little chuckle and moves towards him, softly shaking his shoulder.

"Hmm?" Mark's eyes slowly open.

"Hey, go lay on the couch at least sleepy boy," Donghyuck grins, patting his shoulder.

Mark frowns, his droopy eyes making it hard for Donghyuck to not kiss him then and there.

"Don't poison me," Mark says at last and lifts himself off the chair and heads to the living room.

"No promises~" Donghyuck replies in a sing-song voice.

He hears a sound leave Mark's mouth and he smiles to himself before heading back to lean against the counter beside the sink.

_Mark is sick, I'm staying to take care of him. will you let everyone know?_

He got a quick reply from Renjun filled with concern and promises to tell the others and come home sooner if needed. He proceeds to cook, staring at the recipe in confusion. He reaches a step difficult to understand, and so he does whatever he thinks is right while glancing behind him to make sure Mark wasn’t there.

“What counts is that I’m doing my best,” he mutters under his breath.

After an agonizing hour and a half, the food is ready and Donghyuck prides himself because it looks just like the picture. He places the bowl on the table before heading to where Mark lay on the couch, his face buried into the armrest. Donghyuck takes a moment to look at him, warmth bursting in his chest. He couldn’t help but coo and take his phone out for a picture. (He took about thirty but that wasn’t anyone’s business.)

He taps on Mark’s cheek before running his hands through his hair and Mark begins to stir awake, his eyes slowly blinked open.

Mark opens his mouth to say something up his words get cut off as he breaks into a small fit of coughing. Donghyuck’s eyes widen and he quickly reaches for the glass of water he'd set there while Mark was sleeping. He gives it to him after forcing him to sit up and Mark gratefully drinks from it.

“Was gonna say,” Mark lets out a final cough, “that if you wanted me to wake up, don't run your hands through my hair.”

Donghyuck grins, “Yeah, but either way you _love_ it~.”

_Donghyuck let out a giggle, rolling over onto his back with a hand laying flat on his stomach. Mark snorts, his eyes closing as his hand looks for and finds the hand Donghyuck had on his stomach and intertwines them._

__

_“Are you tired?” Donghyuck asks after a few minutes of silence. Mark hums in return, his thumb caressing the back of Donghyuck’s palm. “Take a nap or something, we don’t have anything to do for a few hours.”_

__

_Mark chuckles softly, “I can try but I don’t know if I could.”_

__

_“Weirdo,” Donghyuck mumbles, turning over to lay on his left side and stares at Mark with a warm gaze._

__

_He watches Mark struggle to fall asleep, an annoyed huff leaving his lips. Donghyuck grins in amusement. He reaches up to Mark’s hair with his other hand and slowly runs his hand through it._

__

_Mark sighs in content, “That feels nice.”_

__

_“Only because I'm the one doing it,” Donghyuck jokes, continuing the action._

__

_The older hums, “Maybe so.”_

__

_After a few minutes of silence, Donghyuck looks up at Mark’s face and realizes he's fallen asleep._

__

_He smiles sweetly, running his hands through the dark strands of Mark’s hair one last time before pulling his hand back to his side and curling up beside him._

Mark smiles softly, “You're right.”

“Get up, the food’s ready,” Donghyuck grins and Mark’s smile slowly fell.

“If you _poison_ me,” Mark frowns as he gets up, “I'll kill you.”

“Oh,” Donghyuck puts his hand on his chest while feigning amazement, “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Mark’s eyes narrow, “You’re so weird.”

“Whatever,” Donghyuck laughs, “You love me anyway~”

Mark watched him skip towards the kitchen as a smile grows on his face, “Yeah, I do,” he whispers.

Mark walks into the kitchen, a surprised gasp leaving his lips as his nose caught the scent of the food.

“It doesn't smell bad like all the other times,” Mark muses, getting a scowl from the other in return.

“Stop being rude and just eat,” Donghyuck mutters in annoyance and Mark laughs.

Donghyuck's phone dings a few minutes later and he lets out an annoyed huff.

“Who is it?” Mark asks as he cautiously eyed the food Donghyuck prepared.

“Will you just _eat it_ already,” Donghyuck pouts.

Mark rolls his eyes as he finally raises the spoon to his lips.

“Renjun is bugging about what I made you, won't stop asking what it is,” Donghyuck mutters while leaning forward to take a picture of the bowl before hitting send. His eyes wander away from his phone to Mark who sits with an impressed and shocked expression.

“It's delicious,” Mark praises, a toothy grin on his face.

“Of course it is,” Donghyuck flicks his forehead, “ _I_ made it after all.”

“Yeah but…”

“No, shush. The other times don't count,” Donghyuck waves him off and Mark chuckles and resumes eating.

Donghyuck's phone dings again. A choked sound leaves his lips and Mark looks up curiously, still continuing to eat.

“What?” Mark asks as the boy frowned.

“Renjun says I made the wrong food,” he mumbled.

“Then...what is the _right_ food?” Mark asks in confusion, “I mean, this is still good. Does it matter?”

A startled gasp leaves Donghyuck and Mark almost spills his spoonful in surprise.

“He said it's _hangover soup_!”

Mark's eyes widened, “ _What?_ ”

“Oh my god...it says so on the site. I just...I skipped to the instructions because the plate looked good in the picture,” Donghyuck purses his lips.

Mark stares at him before bursting out into laughter that then leads to a coughing fit. Donghyuck's face burned red as he leaped out of his chair to quickly pat Mark's back.

“Mark stop laughing,” Donghyuck grumbles as the boy resumed chuckling.

“That's just–god you're so hilarious,” Mark snorts.

“I'm never cooking for you again,” Donghyuck crosses his arms over his chest, bottom lip sticking out into a pout.

“Fine by me~” Mark blows him a kiss only to get a smack in the arm in return.

—

****

**Markhyuck bets**

**Renjun:** okay, I’m betting 10,000 won hyuck ruins the food

 **Jisung:** me too

 **Jaemin:** yikes sorry hyuck but put me for 10,000 he ruins it.

 **Jeno:** hmm me too, there’s a reason hyuck isn’t allowed in the kitchen

 **Chenle:** have a little faith in hyuck, I go 100,000 won hyuck DOESN’T ruin the food

 **Jisung:** you’re gonna regret that…

 **Renjun:** no jisung don’t say anything before he backs out. It’s a bet.

 **Jeno:** you’ll regret this lele~~

 **Chenle:** ;)

—

“Donghyuck,” Mark sniffles, “Can I get the medicine now?”

Donghyuck hummed, standing from where he sat on the couch and headed to the kitchen.

“Liquid or pills?” Donghyuck shouts, sticking his lollipop back into his mouth as he was already grabbing the pill bottle.

“You know I hate liquid!” Mark grumbled.

“I forgot!” Donghyuck lies, letting a laugh escape as he refilled Mark’s glass of water.

“Liar!” Mark shouted back.

“Stop shouting! You’ll make your throat worse,” Donghyuck frowns as he went back to the living room.

He places the pills onto Mark’s outstretched palm. Mark gives him a halfhearted glare as he puts them in his mouth, hand going forward again for the water. Donghyuck takes out his lollipop as he hands it over, sticking out his tongue before putting it back in. He plops onto the couch where he was before, not really paying attention to the movie. Mark had _insisted_ on watching some english movie named the Polar Express, claiming it was a classic for Christmas time. Donghyuck, however, found it kind of boring but he didn’t have the heart to tell Mark.

Mark, on the other hand, _loved_ the movie. When an exciting part would come up, he would let out an ‘ohhh’ and proceed to hit Donghyuck’s arm multiple times while telling him to watch the part and not miss it. Donghyuck didn’t actually watch the part, he would just look at Mark’s expressions and reactions to the movie.

“You’re not even watching,” Mark grumbles after letting out some coughs.

“I know,” Donghyuck grinned.

Mark glanced at him, huffing, “Watch the movie,” he whined.

Donghyuck shook his head, leaning closer to Mark, “I’m good, you look cuter reacting to it, I’d rather watch you instead.”

“Shut up,” Mark stutters, his cheeks flushing.

“Cutie~” Donghyuck coos, pinching his warm cheeks and Mark smacks his hand away.

“When was the last time you were sick?” Donghyuck questions once the credits roll on the screen.

Mark’s brows crease as he is deep in thought. Donghyuck smiles from how adorable the boy looked.

“Probably when I was around seven or something,” Mark shrugs, “I take good care of myself so I _don’t_ get sick.”

“Okay show-off,” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “Can I kiss you though?”

A sound escapes from Mark as the boy turned to Donghyuck in surprise. Donghyuck bites the insides of his cheeks to restrain himself from smiling too big.

“No...you could get sick.”

Donghyuck pouts, “Come on~ You _always_ kiss me when I get sick! This is homophobic.”

“Hyuck, just because I said no to kissing you, it doesn’t mean it’s homophobic. Whenever something doesn’t go according to what you had planned you can’t just say it’s homophobic. And it’s different. It would’ve been unusual for me to get sick from the many times–”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes mid Mark’s speech, leaning forward and planting his lips on Mark’s. The latter froze, eyes wide as he stared into Donghyuck’s mischievous ones after he pulled back. Then, surprising Donghyuck, Mark’s hands gripped on his shirt and pulled him forward. Mark stops him when their noses touch, foreheads pressed against each other.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Mark whispered. “You mean the world to me.”

Donghyuck doesn’t get a chance to reply because his lips are on Mark’s again. After a while, Mark pulls away and they’re both breathless.

“You can’t just say that and kiss me till I’m out of breath,” Donghyuck breathes out, panting softly.

Mark just smiles, shrugging. His fists unfold and he clears his throat in embarrassment when he sees how crumpled he left Donghyuck’s shirt.

“You tired yet?” Donghyuck asks, halting Mark’s movements of flattening his shirt with his own hands by enclosing them around Mark’s wrists.

“Yeah,” Mark nods slowly.

“Come on, go get some sleep.”

Donghyuck stands up, pulling Mark along with him. He grabs the comforter Mark had brought with him and takes them to Mark’s room. After getting Mark in the bed he sighs, “I would love to get in there with you, but I have to clean the kitchen,” Donghyuck sighed in annoyance.

“It’s okay,” Mark yawns, followed by a sniffle, “just hurry up.”

Donghyuck nods and starts to walk towards the door after ruffling Mark’s hair and making sure Mark was comfortable.

“Hyuck,” Mark mutters, his hand loosely wrapping around Donghyuck’s wrist,”Thank you.”

Donghyuck stays quiet for a few seconds before he splits into a smile, his hand removing Mark’s weak hold on it and runs his hand through his hair, “Sleep. Get better soon.”

“I love you.”

Donghyuck’s breath hitched. Despite the boys having told each other before any times, he was always left breathless, heart racing, and blush dusting his cheeks.

“I love you,” Donghyuck responds, leaning down to peck his forehead.

As Donghyuck is about to close the door, Mark calls out for him again. This time, Mark’s eyes are closed, struggling to stay awake. Donghyuck hums and Mark smiles.

“The food you made earlier,” Mark mumbled, his voice close to a whisper and slurred, “I knew you put lots of effort into it. Even if it was the wrong one. But I couldn’t taste it…”

Donghyuck’s eyes widened in shock, the blush in his cheeks turned a darker shade of red but this time he was flushed with embarrassment.

“Ah...Mark Lee…” Donghyuck shakes his head, watching the boy’s chest raise with even breaths.

—

**Markhyuck Bets**

**Jeno:** ignoring the two sleepyheads in Mark’s room, uhhhh

 **Renjun:** what the heck chenle...how did you know???

 **Chenle:** big brain things

 **Jaemin:** please never say that again

 **Jisung:** lele...we’re best friends, I don’t have to give you money right?

 **Chenle:** I’ll be waiting for my money from ALL of you thanks <3

 **Renjun:** I can’t believe hyuck’s food actually tastes good...

**Author's Note:**

> Once more, thank you admins xie and robin for hosting! I hope you like this, Raina! Merry Christmas !!


End file.
